IT Pro Ranking: Web Security Gateways

Andrew Conry-Murray05/01/11

IT Pro Ranking: Web Security Gateways

Our latest IT Pro Ranking survey examines Web security gateways. These products are designed to filter viruses, Trojans and other malware from Web traffic, as well as prevent users from surfing to inappropriate and/or compromised sites. Bluecoat Systems' Secure Web Gateway and Cisco Systems' IronPort products lead the field of Web security gateways, according to IT professionals who use and evaluate these products. Bluecoat and Cisco topped seven vendors, including traditional security stalwarts Symantec, Trend Micro and McAfee (now Intel).

All vendors rated in this report received good marks from IT professionals for their ability to filter malware and block URLs. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being poor and 5 being excellent, Cisco and Bluecoat earned the highest ranking for malware filtering, 4.1. Of course, malware filtering is only one way to evaluate a product. Acquisition and operating costs are also key criteria. Bluecoat and Cisco received the lowest marks in these areas -- in other words, you'll pay more for the leaders. In contrast, Barracuda Networks tops all comers when it comes to purchasing and ongoing operation costs, with Trend Micro and Symantec close behind. (R2341210)